1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a current overload detecting system and method and, more particularly, to a current overload detecting system and method applicable to a data processing device connected with a plurality of electronic devices, each of the electronic devices having a universal serial bus (USB) interface, the data processing device having a plurality of universal serial bus (USB) ports corresponding to and connected with the USB interfaces, a plurality of USB control units for controlling the operations of the USB ports, and a basic input/output system (BIOS) for executing a power-on self test (POST) process.
2. Description of Related Arts
Computer processors and the programs running on them need to connect to the outside world in order to gain input, display output, and otherwise control various devices. Accordingly, modern peripheral devices connected to computers typically adopt universal series bus (USB) interfaces for data transmission. The USB interface has, among other things, the advantage of high data transmission efficiency.
After the USB interfaces are connected with USB ports of the computer, power can be provided to electronic devices connected to the computer via the USB interfaces. In order to be connected with a plurality of electronic devices, each of which has a USB interface, a modern computer is provided with a plurality of USB ports, often 4 or 8. However, the USB chip installed in the computer for controlling the operation of the USB ports has a limit to the power it can provide. Therefore, if connected with too many electronic devices, the computer will encounter a power shortage problem and some of the electronic devices may be underpowered, especially when the computer is powered-on, which is during the same time that the basic input/output system (BIOS) of the computer is executing a power-on self test (POST) process.
When the computer is powered-on and the BIOS is executing the POST process, a user may think an electronic device having a USB interface has sufficient power for normal operation when such is not the case. However, if the BIOS is executing the POST process, the electronic device, which has the USB interface and is connected with the computer, has likely stopped working due to insufficient power (voltage or current) from the USB chip. Moreover, a user of the computer likely has no idea what's wrong with the computer nor knows how to manage subsequent processes.
Therefore, there is a significant need to provide a technical resolution capable of solving the problems of the prior art and allowing the user of the computer to know whether an electronic device, which has the USB interface, is underpowered at start-up.